A Messianic Priest-King
Jeremiah 23:5, 6; Zechariah 6:9-15, John 19:1-5
International Sunday School Lesson
April 13, 2014
Commentary
By
Jed Greenough
How many times have you misinterpreted a situation or person when it seemed so very clear to you? How about the scriptures especially those dealing with prophecies? For those who teach, and anyone who is stating the meaning of a scripture as fact is teaching, it is especially important.
Scriptures everyday if not every minute are misinterpreted, misjudged and mischaracterized. Today’s scripture from Jeremiah and Zechariah being prophecies that the Jews took as Messianic were what they were looking for in Christ the King but the Suffering Servant as found in Isaiah 52 and 53 were hard for them to interpret as the same King.
Jesus, as we see in our scripture today in John, was like the scriptures that dealt with Him; misinterpreted, mischaracterized and misjudged.
As I am writing this commentary the much talked about movie called Noah is about to be released. In interviews I’ve read one of the main principals of the movie, who I will not name, shows through his answers how these 3 m’s are the consistent nature of man.
This movie may be greatly entertaining, I don’t know, but this individual in what he states and therefore teaches, is woefully misinterpreting and misjudging and mischaracterizing God.
The God of Adam, of Noah, of Job, of David, of Jeremiah and Zechariah is the same as the God of the New Testament. He is always consistent just as Jesus was since they are one and the same. But just as we saw with regard to today’s scriptures the interviewee has difficulty seeing them as being one and the same. The God He knew was the God of Grace and the God of Noah was hard for him to understand. The God of the Noah account didn’t fit his idea of God just as Jesus didn’t fit the image of what the Jews expected or wanted.
We all know due to our consistency for wickedness that that is a good thing, don’t we? The God that man would choose would be as flawed as man.
Should we ever think that man in His judgment is flawless in his attempt to interpret scripture or God? The scriptures that quickly follow in today’s John show the answer as they were told “Here is your king” and they say, “Crucify Him.”
I think today’s scripture shows the seriousness of interpreting and teaching. And keeping these scriptures in mind with regard to that will aid us in all the roles we lead as Christians.
Dear Heavenly Father thank you for being consistent despite ourselves and providing us anyway with our means of Salvation, our Priest King.
For Discussion:
1. Discuss the contrast between the scriptures from Jeremiah and Zechariah with the one from John.
2. Read the 4 preceding verses from Jeremiah 23 that deal with those who lead.
3. Read the remainder from Jeremiah 23 about those who prophesy or teach falsely.
4. Discuss how Jesus and the scriptures were misinterpreted.
5. Discuss things that are being taught as absolutes in the church today that could be in error.
6. Discuss examples from your own life where you have misinterpreted, misjudged or mischaracterized God, Jesus or the scriptures.
Upcoming Lessons:
4-20-14 The Third Day, Hosea 6:1-3, Luke 24:1-12
4-27-14 From Suffering to Glory, Isaiah 53:3-8, Luke 24:25-27, 44-47 or Isaiah 53:5-8a; Luke 24:25-27
5-4-14 Jesus Resists Temptation, Deuteronomy 6:13-16; Matthew 4:1-11 or Deuteronomy 6:13-16; Matthew 4:4-11
5-11-14 Jesus’ Mission on Earth, Isaiah 61:1-3; Luke 4:14-21 or Luke 4:14-21
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved
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